


In A Galaxy Far Far Away

by smallchittaphon



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, M/M, Minor Character Death, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2018-12-17 04:21:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11843841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallchittaphon/pseuds/smallchittaphon
Summary: Jedha is a war zone, no doubts about it but maybe, just maybe, together— it won't be as bad as it should be.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> takes place as rogue one is happening. if you know that synopsis of that movie you're set and don't need to know much about the star wars universe.

Mark thinks living on Jedha is somewhat of an honor in this day and age. 

Jedha is home to one the many civilizations to first explore the force in it’s entirety. This small desert moon that orbits NaJedha acts like pawn of worship. ‘ _ The holy city of NiJedha _ ’ Mark hears the elders in his sector say as they reminisce about the moon when it was at it’s height of glory. They talk of lavish festivals for when the season brings it’s annual rains,  they talk about the tourists and holy pilgrimages from people of every nook and cranny of the galaxy who wanted spiritual guidance and most importantly, they speak of freedom. Freedom is such a foreign word to Mark. 

Mark is free in certain ways. He can walk around his sector of the moon, he can walk to the markets when he pleases, and he can do what most can do. He’s just not allowed to leave Jedha, he’s not allowed to be out past curfew, he’s not allowed in certain sectors of the moon he’s not registered in. Mark pays no mind to it, he’s grown up in a ‘ _ new _ ’ Jedha－ A Jedha where there’s beggars on the street, where there’s a lot more homeless due to the empire relocating them to dig up their huts and houses in search for more kyber crystals, where there’s stormtroopers and there’s constant outbreak of civil war. People try and test the reign of the empire, they try to get these kyber crystals so they can sell them but the empire is strong and Mark’s learned to never question the empire.

Mark can say he’s proud of living on a moon so rich in historical significance even if now the history will be the rise of the empire and its efforts to suck this moon dry. Jaehyun tells him that they might as well evacuate the moon, “Eventually they’ll take all the kyber crystals and then what? Where will us natives go?” Mark hums back, takes the dough from Jaehyun and kneads it while Jaehyun moves to the next batch of dough he has to make.

Jaehyun’s always like that. He questions things he shouldn't and although Mark’s sure that mouth of his is gonna get them in trouble, the feeling of having a conversation about opposing the empire is a nice change from his mom’s constant blabber of the new imports the empire has brought in at the docking station she works at. Jaehyun’s nice and warm, Mark thinks he’s a thrill of a guy when he starts working at the eatery. Jaehyun’s all dimpled smiles and gentle words to their customers and that brings more business. Someone from Tatoonie had come so far to see ‘The Dimpled Baker in the War Zone’. Mark thinks Jaehyun brings light and joy to their sector despite the war that rages and thrives just miles west of them. Jaehyun makes Mark tune out the sound of blaster rifles going off in the background. 

Jedha is a war zone, no doubt about it but they can try and live as normally as they can before it affects them. 

 

* * *

“Did you hear?” Jaehyun starts on a bright early morning when he’s in the eatery. Mark peers over at him as he watches the jerked bantha meat one of his fellow workers had managed to get from a tatoonie resident. “Hear what?” Mark entertains, eyes not leaving the meat. He hears the thud of Jaehyun’s bag dropping to the ground and hears Jaehyun move closer. “The alliance, they’ve sent someone.” Mark frowns, looking at Jaehyun. “Isn’t that stupid? Won’t the empire find out?” 

Jaehyun shakes his head, “I’ve heard they’ve masked their ship, they’ve even got a reprogrammed imperial droid.” Jaehyun smiles, his eyes twinkle like they do whenever he’s on about the alliance. Jaehyun swears they’ll save Jedha and restore it back to it’s former glory. Mark enables him because he knows that they need even a fraction of hope to carry them on in such a war torn moon like such. He doesn’t know where Jaehyun even gets information like this but it’s entertaining to hear when they’re working at eatery for hours and hours on in. “And what exactly did they send this someone to do?” Mark asks, extinguishing the fire top and moving the jerked bantha meat onto a plate, ringing the bell for Yuta to come pick it up. 

Jaehyun giggles, “To see Gerrera, who else would they come see on Jedha?” 

“I thought Gerrera was a myth.” Mark whispers. Jaehyun pats his shoulder, “Far from it, Mark. Gerrera’s powerful, maybe 100 men deep in his so called army. Legend says he raised the daughter of Galen Erso. Rumor says that’s who the alliance has sent.” 

 

* * *

 

 

There’s radio silence for three days before anything extreme happens. 

It starts off like any normal day, Mark passes the markets, picks up more stuff for the eatery. He greets the elders that loiter around the Path of Judgments. He greets Jaehyun and Jaehyun nods towards him but doesn’t look at him. His shoulders look tensed and Mark’s eyebrows furrow, “Are you okay?” He asks, a soft hand on Jaehyun’s forearm and Jaehyun finally looks at him. He looks disconnected, very out of it and even more fear strikes up in Mark. “We need to leave Jedha today, Mark.” 

“Leave Jedha?” Mark echoes, hand slipping from Jaehyun’s arm only for Jaehyun to grab his hand. His hands are warm against the Mark’s wind bitten skin from having just come from outside. “W-How do you even intend to leave Jedha? You know we’re practically prisoners here.” 

“Do you trust me?” Jaehyun asks. His eyes bore into Mark’s, it’s not at all intimidating, Jaehyun feels like a home away from home. “Yeah, I do. I trust you.” Mark whispers, feeling like they’ll get caught. There a thrill bubbling within him and it feels like he’s about to embark on those grand adventures he reads about in books. 

Jaehyun finally relaxes, he rubs the nape of Mark’s neck before going back to chopping up the carrots. Mark gets the hint, shrugs off his jacket and picks up an apron. _ Business as usual until Jaehyun says so _ . They make small talk as per usual, Jaehyun nudges him, jokes, smiles at him like everyday and it seems normal but Mark doesn’t feel normal. Anxiousness and excitement hums and grows within him, there’s promise ahead of him.

Around noon, Changmin comes rushing in the kitchen. His hands balled up and there’s faint dirt on his cheeks. Mark almost asks if he’s fine but then Changmin looks at Jaehyun, “Shops closed. They’re here.” Jaehyun drops the knife in his hand and it’s punctuated with a muffled boom from nearby. Mark jumps, knocking over his cup of water into the jerked bantha meat he’s cooking and it sizzles. Jaehyun turns to look at him and cocks his head, “Still trust me?” 

Mark glups, “Always.” HIs hands shake and he just stays still as Changmin runs out of the kitchen, voice booming as he leads people out the side door that leads off the main roads. Jaehyun scurries around, pulling off his apron reaching for his bag and jacket and getting Mark’s only to see the other hasn’t moved yet. Mark can’t look up, he stares at the chopped veggies on the cutting board and he thinks about how fast things are going.  _ This is time for a grand adventure _ , he tells himself.

Jaehyun looms over him, a hand warm and rough against his cheeks and it’s then that Mark realizes he’s crying. “Hey,” Jaehyun whispers, “We’ll be fine. We’re okay, okay?” Mark nods, taking the jacket from Jaehyun and putting it on. Jaehyun smiles at him softly, pats his cheek before taking Mark’s hand in his and walking towards the back doors. 

The air nips are their noses, cold as usual but what’s unusual is the sand uprisen, darkening the midday sun and the sounds of blaster rifles Mark’s only heard from far distances. “Fuck!” Jaehyun yells when something explodes a few meters away. Mark flinches and whimpers to himself before Jaehyun’s pulling him the opposite way of their huts. Mark glances around, taking in his home, his sector being destroyed right in front of him. He’s only known Jedha all his life. 

He realizes soon that they’re heading for docking stations on the east end of their sector. “Oh god, my mom Jaehyun!” Mark yells. Jaehyun looks back at him briefly before pulling Mark along and running faster. 

 

-

 

 

“Mom!” Mark gasps, pulling his hand from Jaehyun’s and running to hold her.

They’re in a closed off section of the docking station, having snuck in through a broken fence and a door that hangs off it's hinges to get here. There’s nothing save for the small x-wing starfighter in the middle of the room, barely noticeable with the limited light coming from the open roof.  Mark’s mom squeezes him closes, lets him cry softly into her shoulder before she’s pushing him off. She smiles up at him, taking in how red his nose and cheeks are and she feels like crying too. “Mark, I’m going to need you to trust Jaehyun okay. Listen to him, follow him, just trust him.” 

Mark nods, rubbing his palm into his eyes and pushing his sweat plastered hair off his forehead. His mom pulls him back into a hug, “He loves you too Mark. Please trust him.” She mumbles against his ear, rocking him from side to side before she’s turning to look at Jaehyun. She throws a small remote at him and he mumbles a ‘ _ Thanks _ ’. “Take care of yourself too Jaehyun.” She says, squeezing Jaehyun forearm.

Mark gasps weakly, “You’re not coming? What about dad? Where’s dad? Where’s my brother?” 

“I think it’s time to leave, Mark. You’ll understand later.” She replies, a sad smile on her face. Mark clears his throat, “Mom, what’s happening?” 

She shakes her head, squeezes his shoulder before walking back from him. He tries to step forward but Jaehyun catched his arm. Mark looks back, Jaehyun’s pleading eyes and slight frown and he frowns back. He doesn’t like this one bit. He looks back at his mom and she’s already waving at him, one foot out the door and he huffs. Jaehyun lets go and Mark marches past him, making his way to the spacecraft. Mark looks back at the door and doesn’t see his mom, just the small light that peeks in. He looks at the concave ceiling, the sliver of blue sky above before he hears the metal door of the ship creak open and his eyes land on Jaehyun.

_ Trust _ , he needs to trust Jaehyun now if he wants to live.

 

-

 

Mark sulks, cheek pressed against Jaehyun shoulder as the other starts up the x-wing starfighter. The engine roars and rumbles, shaking them a tad before Jaehyun throws a look over his shoulder. “We’re ready for take off.” He says, flicks a switch and then they start catching air. Mark hates how small x-wings are. He gets their meant for war and they’re faster but they’re small, meant for one person not two young adults－ both tall in height so their legs fold awkwardly. Mark hums at Jaehyun, pushes his cheek harder into Jaehyun’s shoulder when his stomach flops from going up so fast and he balls his fist in Jaehyun’s jacket. 

From here he can see all of the city, all sectors and walkways. It’s gut wrenching, a horrid sight and probably the last memory wants of his home. He spots no stormtroopers around but see blast after blast going off and then it happens.

The sky darks, sun hidden behind a hunk of metal and then there’s green. It’s haunting the way the once solid ground comes up and Mark swears he see the entirety of the Dome of Deliverance in the air on the horizon. His breath catches and his hands shake. “We’re going into hyperdrive, hold on.” Jaehyun warns, fingers working fast over switches and levers but Mark can’t stop staring. 

Jaehyun turns the ship in opposite direction of the destruction and Mark  _ still  _ cranes his neck to look, tears welling up in his eyes. His home,  _ Jedha _ , dying and demolished right before his eyes. A tear rolls down his cheek before he can’t see the horizon anymore. His body lunges forward and he realizes they’re in hyperdrive. The ship zooms for minutes before they’re surrounded by cold dark empty space, floating calmly. 

Jaehyun leans back, hand holding Mark’s over his stomach and Mark sobs, head throbbing from all the crying he’s done but that’s all he can do now. Jaehyun soothes him in the best way he can. Mark appreciates it, lets the comforting scent of Jaehyun that he’s grown to love wash over him as he cry to his heart’s content. 

He’ll miss Jedha but Jedha ceases to exist.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Mark stops crying after what feels like a good hour.

Jaehyun doesn't hover, he lets him which ultimately leads Mark into being self-conscious about it. He hates crying but he can't help but feel so much emotion. “I'm sorry for crying so much.” He whispers, sniffling as he rubs his eyes dry with the sleeve of his jacket.

Jaehyun hums, hands still on the joysticks of the ship as he flies them aimlessly through space. “I get it.” Jaehyun replies. Mark knows he does, he was born and raised in Jedha too. They have no home, no motherland to come back to once everything's settled. 

Jedha was just a pawn to the empire, Mark supposes. There's always other places in the galaxy to get kyber crystals from. Jedha isn't a lost to the empire whatsoever. “Do you know where we're going?” Mark ask.

“You've heard of a planet called Tatoonie?”

-

Tatoonie is all desert.

It's just miles and miles of desert. When they break the atmosphere, Mark only sees sand dunes for miles before they start seeing vast canyons and building that are separated by even  _ more _ miles of plain desert. It's big and spacious and it kinda freaks Mark out. All he knows of Tatoonie is what he's heard from Yuta back when they had free time at the eatery. Two suns, three moons, moisture farms because of the lack of water and then the amazing jerked bantha meat he's cooked time and time again for their customers.

“I know someone here.” Jaehyun says once they travel further north from where they've entered. “They can help us lay low for the time being.” Mark nods, arms tightening and untightening around Jaehyun's waist nervously as they fly onwards.

It's crazy to think not even a week ago Jaehyun and him were joking about the fact that Yuta couldn’t even boil vegetables to save his life. Now they're here on Tatoonie, Yuta's homeland and no Yuta insight. Mark shuts his eyes and hopes Yuta made it out alive. It makes Mark sick to his stomach even thinking about how all of his friends might be dead. The daunting feeling of loneliness threatens to creep up and consume Mark but then Jaehyun chimps in, “We're about to land.”

Jaehyun lands a bit ungracefully. They rock to one side and the ship is lopsided to the right. “Fuck, sorry!” Jaehyun mumbles, grunting as he pulls the joysticks and finally gets the ship leveled again. They descend easy but they land harshly. Mark feels his breakfast jerk up into his throat for a second before he's good again. “Sorry.” Jaehyun winces again, craning his neck to look at Mark. His expression is strained and Mark laughs at it.

Jaehyun brightens at the sound and Mark snorts, “'s okay.”

Jaehyun flips a switch and the engine cuts off, the ship creaks and Mark winces this time at how loud it groans. There's dirt kicked up and blocking the window ahead but Mark sees the small building in front of them and presumably someone standing by.

Jaehyun pulls the sleeve of Mark's jacket and smiles. “It's really hot outside, you might wanna lose the jacket unless you wanna cook like the jerked bantha meat we serve.”

-

The suns nearly blind Mark when he steps out of the ship. It's scorching and the horizon looks like it's melting.

The air is dry, so dry Mark chokes when he takes a deep breath. “Big mistake!” Mark rasps, coughing in his hand and his eyes water. “Don't die yet, I haven't shown you inside!” Someone yells.

Mark wheezes, head shooting up so fast and he almost trips on his own feet when he sees  _ him _ —”Yuta!” He yells, running till he knocks Yuta on the ground, knocking the wind out of Yuta with his weight. Yuta groans in-between his breathless laughter and Mark's eyes water.  _ He's not gonna cry! _

Mark holds Yuta's face in his hands and Yuta smiles up at him, “Hey kiddo.”

“Fucking! Oh my God, You!” Mark jambers, a giggle start up from his chest and settling his throat and he lays his head on Yuta's chest. “I thought you died!” Mark remarks, slumping on Yuta and Yuta pats his butt endearingly. “Takes a lot to kill me.” Yuta jokes.

Jaehyun chuckles beside them. Mark whimpers, “You knew this whole time!” He points an accusing finger at Jaehyun and Jaehyun raises an eyebrow. “Surprise?” He says with a slight questioning tone and jazz hands. Mark frowns, “Jazz hands isn't gonna save you from my rage!”

Mark gets up off Yuta, dusts off the dirt from his pants and lunges at Jaehyun. Jaehyun yelps, “Yuta! Help!”

-

Yuta had miraculously made it out alive.

“Changmin helped, he's in Takodana now but before he went to tell you guys to leave, he had already dismissed me.” Yuta says, sliding a cup of water over to Mark. Jaehyun nods, “He's a good man. He really made sure we all had escape plans before Jyn Erso ended up on Jedha.”

“So it was the daughter of Galen Erso?” Mark asks.

“We didn't expect the empire to destroy Jedha, nor did we anticipate the death star.” Yuta says, rubbing his palms into his eyes and that's when Mark sees it. The embroidered symbol of the Alliance tattooed on Yuta's ribcage.  _ Oh _ . Yuta means  _ we _ as in the rebel alliance. They're the ones who sent Jyn Erso to Jedha. It comes full circle when Mark remembers all the stories Jaehyun had told him of the alliance. Yuta probably had told Jaehyun and Jaehyun told Mark—unless…

Mark looks at Jaehyun. Jaehyun looks right back him with no front or shyness. He looks more comfortable and sure of himself since they landed on Tatoonie and Mark can tell by the way his shoulders are squared off and held back, no tension. “Jaehyun?” Mark mumbles. Jaehyun smiles softly, barely a smile even before he's hooking two fingers on the collar of his shirt, pulling it down till Mark sees the tattooed symbol of the alliance on his right pectoral.

“So you guys are with the alliance?” Mark says, more for himself than for them and they both nod. That would make sense, the reasons both of them we're so vocal about their opposition of the empire and everything they stood for. Of course they'd be smart enough to always have an escape plan for when things go wrong. But Jaehyun's been on Jedha his whole life, with Mark and how would he even—

“Was my mom..” Mark starts, lump forming in his throat at the implications. The thought of his mom being apart of something as big as a whole revolt against Darth Vader and his ideals scares him. But that would also makes sense, the way she acted at the docking station, that was so starkly different from how she had treated Mark any other day of the year.

“She was. I promised her I'd protect you.” Jaehyun answers. Mark nods, “Okay, I think I need a nap.”

Yuta chuckles, “Come on I'll show you to your room.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> major character death warning in this chapter.... 
> 
> i said i wasn’t going to post until the new year but i got around to editing this last part and i just needed to post this to make me feel better even though it’s kinda really fucking sad

Tatoonie is calm.

Yuta makes it fun so Mark isn’t counting grains of sand. Mark thinks it could be worst when Yuta tells him the main source of work here is to harvest water. “Water farmers?” Mark deadpans.

Yuta smiles, “Only the best.”

Jaehyun also makes due, Mark appreciates the effort. Jaehyun and Yuta are pieces of Jedha with him. They make sense, water farming doesn’t but he still goes out with Yuta’s neighbor at dawn everyday for the past month to start the days worth of work. They really try their best to live their days out on Tatoonie.

Mark likes to watch the suns set and rise and Jaehyun accompanies him. They sit in silence, the warmth of the sun touching them, heating them up and Jaehyun hands him a cold pack he stole from Yuta’s house to keep him at bay. Mark’s body hums and thumps and tingles day in and day out. His body seizes and an image flashes foggy and fast before Jaehyun unknowingly pulls him back down, keeps him tethered.

Tatoonie is nice but it’s people aren’t.

“There’s a TIE fighter in the village.” Yuta comes running in, dumping his groceries from his market visit on the table and he strides to his couch, pulling the hard wood off to reveal weaponry. Jaehyun sits up, “Leaving will only be harder.”

He’s right, Mark thinks. We can’t escape the empire. Yuta wipes dust off his blaster. “We can try. I already warned Maz about our potential arrival.”

Jaehyun sighs, “We’re miles from the vill—”

Mark’s body tenses, the sound of stormtroopers boots off in the distance. Yuta runs up the entrance stairs, peeking out of the dugout. “They’re in the neighboring dugout! We gotta go now!” He voice strong and convincing and Mark is already throwing what he can in his bag and running behind Yuta to the x-wing. Jaehyun runs behind, crawling in first and Mark and Yuta crammed in behind. The engine roars and coughs to life, jolting Mark and Yuta pushes his shoulders down. Jaehyun flips switches and presses buttons as fast as he can and just as they lift up, the stormtroopers ascend from the dugout.

Yuta extends his hand, “Jaehyun! Now!”

The stormtroopers aim, Mark shuts his eyes but before they can shoot, they lurch into hyperdrive. They’re safe for now.   
-

Their x-wing groans as the descent for landing. Mark huffs, heart beating harsh in his ears and he thunks his head back into Yuta’s chest. Jaehyun sigh, knuckles turning pink again as he lands the ship on some open hilltop. The engine cuts off and silence settles between the three. There’s still that tingle rising just beneath Mark’s skin, a new feeling surging in him and he jerks when Jaehyun peeks over his shoulder to ask if he’s fine. “Yeah.” He gulps, “Unscathed.”

“Good.” Jaehyun replies, leaning his weight into Mark causing his heart to leap differently in adrenaline.

“Maz has accommodations prepared for us.” Yuta announces. Jaehyun shifts in Mark’s hold, his palm falling over his heart beat. He’s scared, fear? Mark can feel it in him. “We should met Maz at the castle entrance after we hid the x-wing.”

Jaehyun nods, “We can explore after.” It's directed at Mark. “I’d like that.”

-

Maz is spunky, always clinking and clanking as she walks. Mark’s never seen someone like this yet he can’t help but feel drawn to her, seeking some kinda of comfort. She gives them a run down, new rules and changes since the last time the alliance stepped foot on Takodana. Jaehyun and Yuta listen diligently so Mark doesn’t and before he knows it, they’re lead to the back eastern wing of the castle, cut off from the explorers, smugglers and fugitives that seek out Maz’s “safe haven”. Their room is modest, three very worn out beds, pushed against their own separate walls, two windows overlooking one of the many lakes and Mark can see the hill they almost crashed into when they entered the atmosphere.

The bed creaks and moans as Yuta plops down, his body releasing tension. Jaehyun gently sets down his bag, checking the windows and the ground below just in case, out of fear and Mark, stands there— out of his element, even more terrified than he was on Jehda. His body seizes up again, that tingle crawling up his spine and he shuts his eyes.

No more fog, just him, a cave, and stormtroopers. He looks up, no escape. He doesn’t cower. “Mark!” Jaehyun? A rumble and then—

A gentle touch to jolt him, “Wanna take a breather?” Jaehyun suggests. Tension rolls of him like water on a duck’s back and he smiles. “Yes”

-

Takodana is enchanting. There’s no dark dread like on Jedha or literal dryness like Tatooine. Takodana has trees and green and water and blue and more and more and more. The night is dark, pitch black with no moons but not frightful, comforting and thought provoking. For a week, Mark is lulled to bed always facing the window, the gentle mist from the lake on him as he stares into nothing but feels something. He sleeps easy, wakes up peaceful even if his dreams aren’t. Each night, the cave enclosed him, the stormtroopers watch him and Jaehyun’s voice shrilling out, pain in it. But when he goes to breakfast, He smiles, heart light and finally, he feels normal almost. And Jaehyun smiles back, hiding it behind his hand but his dimples give him away.

Yuta spends his days helping Maz attend to guest. He figures he can reside on Takodana until the alliance desperately needs him. “Tatoonie is too much of a risky.”

Everyday, always a quarter past one in the afternoon, Jaehyun leads Mark out of the castle and down a new path. The forest might all look the same to Maz (as she claims) but to Mark, everything is always new. He doesn’t tire of it, the shimmer of a new world hasn’t faded. Jaehyun leads him east today, towards the hills and mountains. The walk is brisk, a creek always on their right as they make their way up but Mark doesn’t even notice, not when today is the first time he encounters what sounds like birds. He can’t see them but he hears them chirping away. Jaehyun laughs when Mark lights up. “Just a little ways more around the bend.”

Mark nods, speeding to catch up and sure enough, one more bend around a patch of bushes and there’s a opening—the hilltop. Mark runs up, dropping his walking stick and teetering close to the edge, taking in the view. He can see the castle, the main lake and the beginnings of two more lakes off into the distance. He burns all the details into his mind, every tree, every tiny ripple in the water he can kinda see or the sun reflection on the water. He sits, knees up, chin tucked in and he gasps at Jaehyun when the older sits with him. Jaehyun nudges him, “I know. Amazing, right?”

Mark scoffs, “More than. I’ve never seen so much green and blue in such a beautiful way.”

He tucks a stray hair behind his ear, his hair shaggier than before and the wind picks up. It rustles the leaves, taking some with it and one smacks Jaehyun on the cheek. Mark chuckles, reaching over to pry it off, send it on it’s way. Jaehyun laughs with him, leans into Mark’s touch and the leaf blowing away but Mark’s hand stay—Jaehyun stays. The rumble— that tingle under Mark’s skin buzzes in his ear as he hears it “Mark!”. The undeniable pain in Jaehyun voice from his dreams. There’s no pain in Jaehyun in front of him, he can feels comfort, stability in his core. His thumb grazes Jaehyun’s cheekbone before he shuts his eyes, the wind picking up as their lips touch. Warm, blue, Mark’s hand drops onto Jaehyun’s shoulder, letting Jaehyun lean into his space more—letting Jaehyun kiss him longer and lingering and letting this- this warmth spread through his chest and the rumble in his bones shake him. Jaehyun holds him, kisses him nice and soft.

The sun burns his legs through the thin material of his pants and that’s what gets him to pull away. Jaehyun smiles, nothing like before and rushes to kiss Mark again, for second time and then a third and Mark lets him, Mark melts into him and he’s balanced.

“Sorry, I didn’t do this sooner.” Jaehyun mumbles.

“‘s okay.” Mark replies, earning him another explosive kiss and he giggles this time, falling on the grass and Jaehyun chases after.

-

The hilltop is his favorite place.

Mark feels more at home now than he has in weeks every single time he steps foot into the clearing. Today, it changes. Today, he gets that fear back and the home away from home crumbles. His ears ring and his eyes follow the TIE fighters shooting at the castle. Jaehyun tugs his arm, drags him backwards but he keeps looking, entranced because this wasn’t how it was suppose to end. “They found us.” Mark mumbles, flinches when he hears the starcrafts of the residents busting and exploding in the distance. The castle leaves his view as their run deeper into the shade of the trees.

“Yuta!” Jaehyun yells into the walkie. There’s static, “Jaehyun.” Yuta’s voice comes clear.

“Where are you?” Jaehyun asks, stopping by the creek and leaning against the tree. He drops Mark’s hand, eyes frequently scanning their surroundings and Mark stands there, lifeless, still but his body hums. He feels unsettled and unhinged. “Maz lead me and a couple of the others into a safe place, this place is unreachable and indestructible. We’re going to wait it out.”

Jaehyun’s shoulders sag, “Glad your safe.”

There’s static, a click and “Keep Mark safe.”

“I will.”

-

The TIE fighters shoot at rapid speeds. Frequent visitors can be heard screaming and trying to save their ships from potentially being shot at but Mark doesn’t know why. Why the empire is trying to siege a neutral planet. It doesn’t make sense. It can’t be because of them. They left Tatoonie before anyone could suspect them.

Jaehyun doesn’t talk, just leads them further into the forest, further from the castle and Mark follows silently. “Are they here because of us?” Mark finally breaks the spell.

Jaehyun stops, his eyes have dimmed and his posture is defensive in every sense of the word. “I—I wouldn’t know.”

It’s honest and Mark pressed his lips taunt. They stand there in silence, a cavern coming into view if they just walk a couple paces more when they heard amour, feet on the ground harshly and Mark knows that sound— The sound of stormtroopers. His mind flashes images fast and then he looks at Jaehyun, the fear in his eyes and the world slows down.

He knows he’s going to die. The— the humming tingle that’s been in him since Tatoonie told him so. The force, he supposes. His dreams weren’t dreams but prophecies of today and what he has to do. He smiles soft, kissing the corner of Jaehyun’s lip before he turns. Mark turns towards the TIE fighters, his fingertips rumbling and he runs, back to the hilltop. “Mark!”

Mark feels his body lift, his arms up over his head and his eyes water before he yells, stretched palms curling into fists; One by one, the TIE fighters explode. Jaehyun’s outstretched hand drops to his side, his fear striking up and Mark feels it in himself. The sound of the stormtrooper’s boots getting louder, faster, time is fleeting and Mark runs back towards the cavern, the cave from his dreams. He uses his willpower to pry the blaster from Jaehyun’s belt and when the first stormtroopers comes into his view, he shoots. There’s 7 of them left, all standing at a halt because of his attack and then they’re running after him. He doesn’t look back, feet leading him to the cavern and his arms firing back to keep them drawn.

Mark slides down the hill, his pant leg ripping on a branch and his jacket getting pulled off by vines. His boots echo against the cavern floor and he runs in, looking back to shoot another stormtroopers leaving 6. There’s a dead end, his mind flashing his dreams quick. He turns, sliding down to ground and the stormtroopers enter, still tense and unrelenting. They don’t drop their blasters, Mark can see down the barrel of all 6. “Mark!” There— the pain in Jaehyun’s voice, so familiar but it still makes his heart ache.

Mark smiles, his open hands closing into fists and the cavern crumbles around him, the sun closing off from the rubble— “Mark!” Harsher, rougher and worst but Mark hears it, a single tear rolling down his cheek and then darknesses. He knows Jaehyun’s safe now. Jaehyun will continue the cause of the alliance and the empire will fall. Mark knows because the force told him so.

**Author's Note:**

> find me—  
> [twitter](http://twitter.com/smallchittaphon) | [listography](http://listography.com/smallchittaphon)


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